Can washing machine



eet l Jan. 4, 1955 N. J. PETERS CAN WASHING MACHINE Fviled May 23. 1949Jan. 4, 1955 N. PETERS CAN WASHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May25. 1949 INVENTOR. d

ATTYS N. J. PETERS 2,698,624

CAN WASHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 4, 1955 Filed May 2s, 1949Jan. 4, 1955 N. J. PETERS CAN WASHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May23, 1949 ATT'Ys Jan. 4, 1955 N. J. PETERS CAN WASHING MACHINE 8Sheets-Sheet Eyl Filed May 23. 1949 INVENTOR.

N L0 CO l m Si Nm Jan. 4, 1955 N. J. PETERS CAN WASHING MACHINE 8Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 23. 1949 m0 ma s n IILIII lill l |||||l|\\\lllllllllllll I iJIIIILlllInP l IIIIIIUPIIIILIIIIIMNMI I\| INVENTOR. MM01.11144 BY QMewnm@ ATT'YS Jan. 4, 1955 N. J. PETERS CAN WASHING MACHINE8 Sheets-.Sheet '7 Filed May 23, 1949 w .al

INVENTOR.

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M9' ATT'YS Jan. 4, 1955 N. J. PETERS CAN WASHING MACHINE i 8Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed May 23, 1949 United States Patent O CAN WASHINGMACHINE Norman J. Peters, Fond du Lac, Wis., assignor tov DamrowBrothers Company, Fond du Lac, Wis., a corporation of WisconsinApplication May 23, 1949, Serial No. 94,857

7 Claims. (Cl. 134-62) line machine, these machines have to be of`considerable length` and operate at a relatively high rate of speed.The length of the machine offers difficulties in installation and thehigh rate of operation causes wear on the machine and the cans. In orderto. overcome these diiiculties the main object of this invention is toprovide a washing machine having. two straight line` rows for can andcover treatment, a single inlet for the cans and covers, respectively,switching or selector mechanism for directing the cans and coverintroduced into the machine alternately into said rows, a can turnoverfor each row, a cover replacer for each row, and a cornmon delivery fromthe two rows. The above described `machine produces a simpler unitthanlthe usual long straight line. machine, the cans are. given bettertreatment because the machine does not need to run as fast, there isless` wear-on the machine and the cans than for a single straight linemachine of the same. capacity. Also with thisv machine itI is possible.to get the same washing treatment `as heretofore in a. shorter space.The

invention provides a longer life, machine without unduly increasing thewidth andA greatly reducing the length as compared to single rowmachines withV the same treatments.

A further object off the invention isto. provide a double rotary canlturnover for each can row so that the turn.- Overs rotate atl half thespeed of a single turnover and thus reduce wear and tear on the cans andturnovers.

The 'invention further consists in the several` features hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by claims at thek conclusionhereof.

In the drawings:` x

Fig. l is a side elevation. view of the.` front half of the washingmachine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of theforward part of the rear half of the machine;

Fig.` 3- is a side elevation View of the rest'` or the; rear half of themachine;

Figi. 4 is an` end. elevation; view of the rear end of the, machine;

Fig. 5. is a horizontal sectional viewV taken; on= the line 5 5 of Fig.3;

Fig. 6` is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view takenl oni the line 7-7 of Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional` view taken onthe line 8--8 of Fig.. 6;

Fig. 9 is. an end elevation view taken along the line 9-9' of Fig. 8;,

Fig, l0 is a vertical sectional View taken along the li-ne lll-10 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of the operations on the cans duringtheir travel through the machine;

Fig. l2 is a'detailed view of a part of the mechanism at the deliveryend' of the machine, parts beingbroken y away and parts being shown insection;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 13-13:v ofV Fig.,7;

c Fig.. 114y is.v al plan -view of parts: of the coverreplacer lookingalong'thelinerM-.l-t of. Fig; 3; 'j

2,698,624 Patented J an.y 4v 1955 Fig. l5 is` a detailedverticalsectional view showing certain modifications lat the deliveryend of the inachine.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 15 designates` the frame of themachine which has spaced openings 1'6 to provide access to the interior,which openings are normally covered, by removable panels (not shown).

Referring to Figs. 3' and 4, thev numeral 17 designates an electricdrive motor' provided with a pulley 18.connected by a belt 19 with apulley 2t) on. the inputV shaft of a speed reducer 21 whose output shaftcarries a gear 22 meshing with a gear 23 mounted on the main drive shaft24 of the machine.

Duringy the progress of the cans through the machine, in a verticallydisposed: inverted position, they ride on spacedv rails or supports 25',see Fig. l0, and the can covers disposed in an edgewise position restonv bottom rails or supportsv 26` andV engage side guide rails orsupports 27. As is usual in machines of this character, the cans areadvanced lengthwise of the machine by a lengthwise extending`reciprocatory feed bar 28 which includes spacedl angle irons 29V thatride on a series of pairs of rollers 30 which, also ride on iiXed tracks31, each set ofl rollers. 30 having a limited amount of free movementrelative to the tracks 31. The bar 2S carries a series of' pivotallylmounted gravity operated feed dogs 32. The; covers are advancedlengthwise of the machine by a lengthwise extending reciprocatory feedbar 33 which issupported on, the shafts. of a series of spaced rollers34 that ride on angle iron tracks 35 and which carries a series. ofpivotally mounted gravity actuated feed dogs 36. The feed bar 2S withits dogsr 32 and the feed bar 33 with its dogs 36. advance the cans andcovers, respectively, through the machine by a step by step movement,the spacing of` the dogs 32 and 36 being such Athat the can` and its.cover are advanced together through the machine and are treated togetherat the various treatment stations` hereinafter described.

Referringk to Fig. 4, the drive shaft 2.4 carries spaced crank arms 37,one being shown in Fig. 3, operatively connected by links` 38 to levers39 pivoted on a shaft 4i) and oppositely disposed as shown in Fig. 4.The front lever 39, see Fig. 2, is operatively connected by a link 41 tobracket 42k secured to the can feed bar 28 at the nearer side of themachine as viewed in Fig. 6 while the rear lever 39 is similarlyconnectedto the can. feed bar 28. at the oppositel side of the machine.Thus the can feed bars 2S are given a reciprocatory motion so that whenone feed bar is moving forwardly, the other bar is` moving rearwardly,the cranks 37 being disposed one hundred and eighty degrees apart.

Referring to Fig. 6, at the front end of the machine one of the feedVbars 28 has a suitably guided rack 43 secured thereto which meshes witha gear 44 on a vertically disposedV and journalled' shaft 45. Shaft 45,see Flg. 7:, carries an arm 46y operatively connected by a link 47 to abracket 48 secured to the cover feed bar 33 at the nearer side of themachine as viewed` in Fig, 6 while a similar arm 46a on the shaft 45 isoperatively connected by a link 47a to a bracket 48aA secured to thecover feed bar 33 at the opposite side of the machine. The arms 46 and46a are one hundred and eighty d'egrees apart so that the cover feed bars 33 move in opposite directions as they are-reciprocated, but each ofthese bars move in synchronism' with the can yfeed bar 28, at the sameside of the machine and in the same phase relationship.

From the above it willv be noted that the cans and covers on each sideof the machine are given a step by step forward movement along thelength of the machine, and means are provided for feeding the cans fromthe` entrance end of the machine alternately to the feed bars 28 and forfeeding thecovers from theV entrance end of the machine alternately tothe feed bars 33.

Referring to Figs. l, 6, and 8, a can receiving platform 49 projects outfrom the front endof the machine upon which the cans are placed ininverted position withVV the tops of their mouths resting on V framebars 50. For feed'- ing ther cans, one at a time from the platform 49onto a'y switching platform 51, a dog-52y is pivotally mounted on avertically disposed shaft 53 carried by a mounting block 54 secured tothe outer extended end of the rack 43 and normally urged by a torsionspring 55 against a stop 56 on the block. The feed bar 28 on theopposite side of the machine has a rod extension 57 and a dog 52a ispivotally mounted on a vertically disposed shaft 53a carried by amounting block 54a secured to the outer end of said rod 57, said dogbeing normally urged by a torsion spring 55a against a stop 56a on theblock. The dogs 52 and 52a are shown at one of their extreme positionsof movement, and since the feed bars 28 which move these dogs move inopposite phase in the other extreme position, the dog 52a will beat theouter end of the platform 51 when the dog 52 is at the end of its innertravel and in the same position at its side of the machine as the dog52a is shown in the drawings. Thus when a can is placed on the platform51 back of the dog 52 or 52a at its outermost position, it will becarried inwardly by this dog to a position where its neck rests on theplatform 51, and in order to give the can a quick shove or push ontothis platform, adjustable stops 58 are provided, one for each dog sothat as the tail end of the dog 52 or 52a hits this stop. as shown inFig. 6, where one stop 58 is acting on the dog 52a, said dog will haveits can engaging end swung inwardly to push the can into the mid area ofthe platform. On their return strokes the dogs 52 and 52a are free toswing outwardly past a can positioned on the platform 49. As the cansare fed one at a time onto the switching platform 51, they are moved toalternate feed bars 28 by a switching member comprising a roller 59mounted on an arm 60 carried by the shaft 45. As the arm 60 isoscillated back and forth by the oscillation of the shaft 45 through itsgeared connection with one of the feed bars 28 as previously explainedthe roller 59 in swinging counterclockwise engages one can fed onto theplatform by the dog 52 and pushes it along the platform 51 into aposition where, for example, the forward dogs on the feed bar 28 at thenearer side of the machine as viewed in Fig. 6 may engage it to carry italong this feed bar and as said arm with its roller moves clockwise tothe full line position shown in Fig. 6, it engages another can fed ontothe platform 51 by the dog 52a and pushes it along the platform 51 intoa position where the first set of feed dogs on the feed bar 28 at therear side of the machine may engage it to feed it through the machine.Thus by the pushing mechanism above described, which receives its motionfrom the feed bar 28, the cans are carried from the platform 49 onto theplatform 51 and delivered, first one can to one feed bar and the nextcan to the other feed bar. The platform 51 has side walls 51a that arefianged as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6 to receive parts ofthe neck of the can.

Referring to Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the can covers are placed one at a timein a tiltable cover chute 61 pivoted on a shaft 62 carried by anextension of the frame 15. Beneath the chute 61 is a reciprocatoryauxiliary cover feed carriage 63 provided with a gravity actuated feeddog 64, said carriage being slidably mounted on guide rails 65 mountedbeneath a cover receiving platform 66 upon which the covers aredeposited mouth side down by the chute 61. An arm 67 is mounted on theshaft 45 and has an end 68 operatively connected by a pivot bolt 69 toone end of a link 70, the other end 71 of said link being connected withthe carriage 63 so that as the shaft 45 oscillates, the carriage 63 ismoved back and forth beneath the platform 66, which is apertured asshown 1n Fig. 7 to allow the dogs 64 to project upwardly to engage thecovers, one at a time and feed them from the place they are deposited bythe chute 61 forwardly along the platform 66 to where they may beengaged by an oscillatory switching arm 72 secured to the shaft 45directly above the arm 67 and also directly above the arm 60 for thecans, said arm 72 acting similar to the can switching arm 60 to feedfirst one cover over the platform 66 to one cover guide chute, formed bythe rail 26 and guides 27, and its feed bar 33 and the next cover in theopposite direction over said platform to the other cover guide chute andits feed bar 33. The platform 66 as shown in Figs. 7 and 13 has an upperat portion 66a which is bent down at the sector shaped portions 66b tomerge with a lower outer curved platform portion 66a` so that as acover, fed to the platform portion 66a, mouth side down, is pushed overthe platform by the arm 72 and passes over one of the portions 66b, itis canted or tipped down until its edge rests on the portion 66e so thatthe cover is delivered edgewise between the guides CJI 27 and onto therail 26 to be carried by the dogs 36 on its feed bar 33 through themachine. To prevent the covers rolling when moved to the feedingstations, the rails 27, see Fig. 2, are provided with a series ofnotches 27a into which they drop during the non-feeding movement oftheir feed bar 33.

In order to prevent a cover being fed into the machine when no can is inposition for feed into the machine, a plate 73 is mounted to slide belowand transversely of the guide rails 65, see Fig. 9, so that when saidplate is moved toward the right as viewed in that figure, it engages thelower end of the feed dog 64 as said dog moves forwardly with thecarriage 63 and thus tips the upper spaced ends of said dog 64downwardly out of feeding engagement with any cover that may have beenplaced on the platform 66 by the chute 61, said plate 73 being of alength to hold the dog 64 in this non-feeding position during the restof the forward travel of the carriage 63. Referring to Figs. 7 to 9, formoving this plate 73 into and out of cover feed blocking position it isconnected by links 74 to a shaft 75 carried by spaced crank arms 76mounted on an oscillatory shaft 77 journalled in fixed brackets 78 andcarrying a crank arm 79 connected by a twisted link member 80 to a crankarm 81 on an oscillatory shaft 82 which as shown in Figs. 6 and 8carries a weighted crank arm 83 and a crank arm 84 having a cross bar 85adapted to be engaged by the bottom portion of a can as the can is fedinto the machine, thereby rotating or swinging the shaft 82 clockwiseand thus through arm 81 pulling down on link 80 to swing shaft 77counterclockwise to move the plate 73 out of dog release positionthrough the movement of cranks 76 and links 74 attached to said plate.Thus the feed carriage is not effective to feed a can cover into themachine unless a can has been placed in the machine to receive thiscover.

The cover chute 61 is tipped downwardly to the cover receiving positionshown in Fig. 8 by a link 86 operatlvely connecting the forward end ofsaid chute with an upright 87 fixed to a slidable shaft 88 adjacent ashock cushioning spring 89 on said shaft, said cover chute having asemi-circular stop portion 90 to limit lengthwise movement of the coverin the chute. The shaft 88 at its forward end, see Figs. 7 and 8,carries a lug 91 disposed in the path of movement of a lug 92 mounted onthe carriage 63. so that when said carriage nears the end of its forwardfeeding in stroke, the lug 92 engages the lug 91 and pushes the shaft 88forwardly or toward the right as viewed in Figs. 7 and 8 causing themember 87 to pull on the link 86 so as to tip the front end 61a of thechute 61 upwardly so that a cover deposited thereon may slide down ontothe platform 66 t0 be fed in by the dog 64 on the next feeding in strokeof the carriage 63. The chute 61 is a cover placement means. If onecover has been placed in said chute and an attempt is made to put asecond cover in, the covers will not move and the rst cover is not movedby the carriage until the dog 64 moves back to take it. The dog 64 dragsone cover out of the way before another cover can come down and blockthe feeding action of the carriage 63.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that as the sets of cansand covers are delivered to the machine, they are alternately routedfirst to one set of cover and can feed bars and then to the other set ofcover and can feed bars and are carried along the can and cover railsthrough the different treatment stages until they reach the rear endportion of the machine where as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 the can rails 25incline downwardly at their ends 25a so that as the can is pushed by itsfeed bar 28 off said rails, it tips forwardly and its neck slides ontothe rails 93, see Figs. 3 to 5, of one of the oppositely disposedcradles 94, each cradle having side wings 95 engageable with the side ofa can and top rails 96. These oppositely disposed cradles or doublecradles 94 are mounted on a continuously rotating shaft 97, and there isa double cradle for each line of cans, the cradles of each double cradlebeing disposed one hundred and eighty degrees apart, so that the shaft97 may be rotated at half the speed of that required for a single cradleand thus slow down the movement of the cradles so that they are easieron the cans. The shaft 97 carries a sprocket 98 connected by` a chain 99with a sprocket 100 on the,y or .geu- @i f `9 P.. i `I y `er which al'me cradle ed to lany upright 'poslrionas its r j I opp'osirely ulsposedkickers orpusne'ls each con pri ngopppsriely disposed arms 103 jcarrylilgroners wi,'vynieh arms"work between the rails y79a" or trie"cradiefand as said 'kickers revolve one Vof Vthe `"armsaus*movesu'paga'mst'the back 4the "craole as it strikes the platform 101 and Vpushesit forvfvarul'y along said platform. 'lhe'shaft 1 02 1s driven f4atthe'sainespeedjasinesnart 97 by a' onev to one ratio Asprint-leem`1pb"-ahd l'at'cn'ain the'. 'esseu at :lui-:to provide clearance forthearms 1the cans are pushed onto me platrorm mi by the kickers rromeach orf'tlrejturnovers, they are'moved, one a'i 1e, ally or' said'platform 4by j 4 roa posnionjcfetr a pari or'l oscillatory arms 1nd'shtfyvr'i dotted 1m' lt-"ig, 5 in its centrally disposed positionwniie'anotner canCrb is shown in dotted abent Tt usnedj by one or the'arms 1158 into said central `lnftheir ycentrally disposed position thecans enfdress gravityj'delivered Conveyor by a kicker or pusherhavingopposne'ly disposed'arms 110 mountedon a shaft are; pushed,foneat' a time, onto therollers 1051 f an s which 1s rotated twice as' fastVas'th'e shaft 102 by "afsprocket 112'on'shaftj102 connected byfa chain113 to a sprocket 114 on the shaft 111.

or' acanbn thel one vof the cans' Cdbeing E'acn arm 10,8 is mounted onan oscillatory generally verticallydisp'osedshaft 115 which isjournalled at its lowerend'in a`bear'ing 116, see Figs. 3, 4, and 12 andatfitsfpperportioniin aibearing bracket 116m Oscil- `latory motion o r'eachshaft 'connectionbetween it and the crank 37 at the same side `orthe machine comprising a universal joint coupling 11j connecting one endof a link 118 with its drive 'crank-37- and au'niversal joint coupling113e connecting afthedelivery end of the jmachine so that the shaft 115cannot be oscillated, then the ycrank arm 119 as itis turned 1i act'throughjthe balls 121 to raise the collar 122 and "doingso actuate amotor cut out switch 125, whose acta't'or'carries a 'roller'1/26engageable withthe upper end of the collar 122.

the machine'a each" side by the feed bars 33 are delivered todcwr'ivva'rdlyV inclined .chuts'127 that terminate in a, curved plate123 having a curved front end 122i where intheir "edgewisep'osition theyare further gidedbya nger'1`3''onan'oscillatory cover receiving chute13`11`carriedVV by 'a"shaft" 132 pivotally mounted in ty wnvvardlyinclined position in bearing brackets 133,

y cverj strikes"the -curved plate 128 having an additnal'fdeiiecvtor'rod128e which, when engaged by the c 4erjcau'sesit'to turn'toward the mainportion of the "te 131;'an`d to'drop, mouth down, upon said chute.Thereafter, he' chute `131 is swung'from its upper posit1. t, l.

a `arrri"134,engagingthe bottm ofthe chute 131 which igime'mimanysper'dliarqggh a ,drive connection with the Ashaft '115.""lhisdrivel-connection.includes a small bevel gear 135 on''shaft 115meshing With a larger bevel geen 13.6,.10056.. 0.11.3 ,Shaft137.jo11rnalled` in bearings 138, said gear 136 carrying a lug 139intermittently engageable with a lug 140 fixed to the shaft '137. Alsopivotally mounted at 141 on the upper end of the shaft 115 is a pusherarm 142 which is oscillated by said .sh-aft and free to slide at end 143on and olf of the bottom of the chute, said pusher arm being moved bysaid shaft to a position behind a cover just before the cover is laid,

115 is'ctfected by-a driving ,ya

the `other"endrof the link with a crank arm 119y loose is yieldingiyheid in 1672 or 163 will -be in a -position to engage mouth down, in thechute and then, as the chute is gepr-ay` xnozzlesurq Adirecuwashing uidthrough the menthe; tnecvanmto its iuterior spray nozzles 1450irect huidonto the s1des of the can, Vsteam nozzles 146 also `spiayhttie outsidebottom ,portions OI the cans, spray .QZZQQH'Z alla, 1.4.62L.Ct.QI1...QPPOS1'Ie.sidesiof rhe cover. All ofthese novzzlesare.connected by suitable piping, some of which is shown in bigs. l, 2 andb,wirh supply piping 149 through v alves 1nd. Each valve lia'llis aselr'fclosing valve 4.and is Opened bya levenrsl carrying aroller 1:2that is engaged by Vthe .mouthof the can anclmevedA by said canlovalveopening position asY the can reaches a treatment position or as in the.case or' Vthe valve fory the y,nozzelfiethe can moves .past Athe..lever151. l ieferring to Fig. ll, the letters A to Q designate themdiiferentstagelof can and cover treatment. At the loading station A and theswitching Ystation B the cans andcovers are being drained. .j ,AtstationC, theinside of the can isushed by `a, waterspray. At station .D, theinside and outside of the can and the inside. of the coyerare pre-rinsedand then Adrained at station E. .At station F the insideand outsideof.the can and itsv cover is treated ,to a solution washandthen drainedatstation G. v,At statiodH,y the Vinside and outsideofthe can and itscover is treated to a hot wash, andat .station i a, sterile rinse. isapplied to inside of .the kcan andcover. AtV stationAJ the inside ofthecan and. cover is given a/vsteam 4treatment, and at station K. airatv room..tem perature is `blown into the inside ofl the can and cover.At station L the cans are turned-oven At station M the `cover is placedon the can, `and at N the Acovered can is ready for discharge to the,delivery conveyor. Between stations D and E, F and G, H and I` the cansand covers areV given a, blow Voff operation indicated by the arrows O,v1)and Q, respectively, the stationsC to Mgand the treatmentsOpRnand Qare the same for each line or row of the machine.

Referring toFigsZ and 5 of the drawings, the cold air blowers 153 fortreating the cansand covers at the station .K are shown. These blowersare driven by .L separate motors V15V-i through belt and pulley drives155.

y:.1 air into,` lthenrnouth of the can Aand upwardly extendingReferring/torFigs. 3 and 4, the covers carried through dischargeconduitY 158` for blowingcoolingair into the mouthsof the covers. yinstead ofthe-rotary pusher I may use a chain typerconveyor workingintheslot101a of the-platform 101, a detail of which is shown in Fig. l5in which thenumeral V159 designates the endless conveyor chain whichruns over adriver sprocket 160 and `an idler sprocketl, the Alast namedAsprocket being disposed adjacent the conveyorrollers l109.` Spaced linksof the chain 159are provided with can engaging projections 162 and 163to engage alternate cans C as they are fed to the central portion of theplatform through the action of thev arms 108 as previously described.The shaft.164 for the drive sprocketV 160 carries a sprocket indicatedin Fig. l5, but not lshown in detail and connected by aV chain 165 witha sprocket not shown on the drive shaft 24,;the, ratio `of this Vdrivebeing such that whenever a can is presented to the mid-section of theplatform by theaction of either of the arms '108, one of the lugs thecan :to push it along-the platform and onto the'rollers 109.

From the foregoing it will be noted that a double straight line can andcover Washing machine is provided having a single can and cover inletand a single covered can delivery. This machine permits an eight secondtreatment period on cans progressing through the machine at the rate ofsix cans per minute on each row, and the usual machines provide onlytive seconds per 7 treatment at this rate. It will also be noted thatthe cans and covers in each row get the same treatment but not at thesame time since there is a phase dihCrence or' 180 between the rows onone side of the machine with those ot the other. This permits maximumutilization ot the wash solutions.

'lhe single inlet and single outlet for the double row machine asdescribed above is preferred, but some of the advantages of thisarrangement could be obtained by using eitner a single outlet or asingle delivery, and such possible variations in the construction havebeen included in the claims.

l desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited toany particular form or construction or parts except in so rar as suchlimitations are included in the claims.

what l claim as my invention is:

l. ln a can washing machine having pairs of can wash treatment rowsincluding spraying devices for directing washing fluids onto the cans,the combination of a receiving platform, a switching platform, meansoperable to advance the cans, one at a time, from said receivingplatrorm to said switching platform, and an oscillatory switching memberfor moving the cans over the switching platrorm, one at a time,alternately to said treatment rows, each of said treatment rowsincluding a can feeding means, and means operatively connecting saidoscillatory switching member with one of said can feeding means.

2. The can washing machine as defined in claim l wherein the means foradvancing the cans from the receiving platform to said switchingplatform is operatively connected to one of the can feeding means for atreatment row.

3. ln a washing machine of the type described having pairs of washtreatments rows including spraying devices for directing washing fluidsonto the cans and covers, the combination of can and cover feedingmechanisms for feeding cans and covers separately into the machine, onecan and one cover at a time, a switching platform for the cans receivedfrom the can feeding mechanism, a cover platform between the coverfeeding mechanism and each of the cover treatment rows, an oscillatoryswitching member for moving the cans over the switching platform, one attime, alternately to the can treatment rows, an oscillatory cover movingmember for alternately moving the can covers over the respective coverplatforms to the cover treatment rows, and a common drive means for saidoscillatory switching member and said oscillatory cover moving member,said switching member and said oscillatory cover moving member operatingin the same phase relationship so that the cans with their coversundergo treatment in the can and cover wash treatment rows at the sametime.

4. ln a washing machine of the type described having pairs of washtreatment rows for cans and covers respectively including sprayingdevices for directing washing fluids onto the cans and covers, the cansbeing fed along said can treatment rows in inverted position and thecovers being fed along cover treatment rows, the combination of separatecan turnover mechanism to receive cans from each can treatment row and acover replacer mechanism to receive covers from each cover treatmentrow, means for operating the can turnover mechanism for one cantreatment row in alternate phase relationship with that of the canturnover mechanism of the other row, means for operating the coverreplacer mechanism for one cover treatment row in alternate phaserelationship with that of the cover replacer of the other row, said canturnovers and said cover replacer mechanisms being synchronized so thatthe turned over can from one of said can treatment rows receives itscover from one of said cover treatment rows, a platform to receive thecans delivered by each of the turnover mechanisms, each cover replacermechanism acting to place the cover on its associated can after deliveryof the uprighted can to said platform, and alternately acting meansengageable with a covered can on said platform to move said covered canalong said plattortn trom its treatment row position to a centralposition Ior delivery from the machine, olie covered can at a time.

D. ln a can washing machine, having can wash treatment rows along whichthe cans progress and including spraying devices ror directing washingiiuids onto the cans, means tor intermittently reedmg cans along saidrows, a platform, means ror delivering the washed cans from said rows tosaid platform, one at a time and in opposite phase relationship, anoscillatory arm disposed at' the end of each treatment row tor movingthe cans, one at a time, from said row along said platform to a centralposition between said rows, a power operated oscillatory shaft for eacharm, said oscillatory sharts oscillating in opposite phase.

o. ln a can washing machine having spaced can wash treatment rows alongwhich the cans progress in inverted position and cover wasn treatmentrows above said can treatment rows along which the covers progress, eachof said rows including spraying devices for directing washing fluidsonto the cans or covers in its row; means for intermittently feeding acan and its cover along said can and cover rows respectively, canturnovers for each can row, a platform for receiving the uprighted cans,one at a time from each can row, cover replacer mechanism for each coverrow for depositing covers on the uprighted cans of each can rowincluding a cover receiving chute and an oscillatory pusher for movingsaid covers olf said chute for disposal upon the mouth of a can, a poweroperated oscillatory shalt disposed at the end of each can an d covertreatment rows, a can pusher arm on each shaft for moving the coveredcans, one at a time from said spaced treatment rows along said platformto a central position between said rows, said oscillatory cover pushersbeing respectively mounted on said oscillatory shafts, said oscillatoryshafts oscillating in opposite phase.

7. lri a can washing machine having spaced can wash treatment rows alongwhich the cans progress in inverted position and cover treatment rowsabove the can treatment rows along which the covers progress, each ofsaid rows including spraying devices for directing washing fluids ontothe cans or covers in its row; means for intermittently feeding a canand its cover along said can and cover rows respectively, can turnoversfor each can row, cover replacers for each cover row to deposit coverson the uprighted cans, a platform for receiving the covered cans, anoscillatory shaft disposed at the end of each can and cover treatmentrow, said oscillatory shafts oscillating in opposite phase, coverreplacer operating means driven from each of said oscillatory shafts, anoscillatory arm mounted on each shaft for moving the covered cans, oneat a time along said platform to a central position between the can andcover treatment rows.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,289,824 Lathrop Dec. 3l, 1918 1,453,738 Wolf May 1, 1923 1,803,627Lathrop May 5, 1931 1,914,146 McClatchie June 13, 1933 1,939,401McClatchie Dec. 12, 1933 2,054,293 McClatchie Sept. 15, 1936 2,225,532Decker Dec. 17, 1940 2,293,192 Campbell Aug. 18, 1942 2,302,887 PetersNov. 24, 1942 2,307,262 Gran Jan. 5, 1943 2,369,742 Klaiber Feb. 20,1945 2,371,419 Bergmann Mar. 13, 1945 2,404,232 Hunter July 16, 19462,515,871 Hartmann July 18, 1950 2,617,434 Bowman Nov. 11, 1952 FOREIGNPATENTS 443,129 Great Britain Feb. 21, 1936

